Bearing



July l0, 1951 B. scHRoETr-:R

BEARING 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1944.

INVENTOR.

TIIILHIL f.. r 11b `Iuly 10, 1951 B. scHRoETER BEARING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 14, 1944 INVEN I`OR.

BRUNO SCHHOETER ,lzor/zeys I bearing insert.

prior to assembly.

Patented July 10, 1951 ,BEARING `Bruno 'Schroeten Detroit, Mich.,assignor to `0. & S. 'Bearing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporationofMichigan Application December 14, 194.4, Serial No. 568,089

-3 Claims.

This invention relates Vto a bearing. The invention herein 4hasparticularly to do -with what is commonly referred to as aselflubricating bearing, and is the type in which alubricant-impregnated, compressible-expansible brous material is usedbetween metal parts of a bearing to take the wear and furnish thelubrication.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bearing ofsimplified construction which cuts down the initial cost of manufactureand any replacement' cost.

It is a further object to provide a bearing which Withstands end thrustforces without complicated design, It-is `another object of theinvention to provide a method of constructing a bearing bushing whichmaybe used in the bearing design herein disclosed or Which-,may be usedto replace worn bushings of other types.

Other objects of the invention "having to do with details ofconstruction, as well as the steps in the method, will .be `brought outin the following description and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a fabric strip showing it cut into short pieces as astep in the method .of forming the bearing.

Fig. 2 is a view ofthe strip used to make Athe Fig. 3 illustrates themanner insert is .compressed and shaped.

Fig. 4 shows the bearing after it has been Atreated and shaped.

Fig. 5 is a sectional :view of the "bearing insert insert having --thecoating thereon.

Figs. 9, and 11 illustrate modified Ways of accomplishing longitudinalreinforcement with the bearing members.

Fig. 12 illustrates a sectional view of a reina forcing ring for theilanged portion of the bearing.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged Vsectional View showing the reinforcing flange.

Fig. `14 is a sectional diagrammatic view of a v. bearing to be used forVarota-ting shaft.v

AReferring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is intended itc representa strip offabric-material which is :used .to make rthe `bearing insert of the,plient invention The dimensions of .this strip will. vary in which lthewith the construction and demands of the bearing. For a normal type ofpassenger car spring shackle bearing, `the short length illustrated -inFig. 2 rwould have dimensions about as shown with a thickness ofapproximately one-fourth of an inch.

The rst step in the process of manufacture consists of soaking thestrips I0 in a lubricating compound of the type described, for example,in copending application, Serial No. 350,344, led August 3, 1940, newmatured into Patent #2,379,478 dated July 3, 1945. The compound used isof such a nature that it is liquid or plastic Aat from '240 to `260 butsubstantially solidied at room temperatures. An example ofthe compoundto be used is'as follows:

Percent by weight 1 The fabric is -soaked in this heated compound forabout four Vminutes and then fed to a die while still hot. The die isshown diagrammatically in Fig. 3 and consists of a recessed'member IIand a male die member' I2. Before being placed in the die, the strip I0is rolled into an open tube shape I3. When inthe die, the material iscompressed considerably axially and radially and a flange I3A is formedat one end. The `flanges ISA of the tube are also compressed in thedie.The next step consists of placing the formed tube in a second die whichis heated, although to a temperature less than 240 F. A

final compression is then given the tube I3.

'The dimension A of Fig. 2 is the original width of thegstrip and,-after the two compression steps,

the dimension B, shown in Fig. 3, represents the resulting length of thetube. The next step,

' while not necessary, is desirable. This step consists of dipping theshaped bearing in a hot lubricant to fill the voids caused by thebearing returning somewhat from its compressed shape Vafter removal fromthe dies. Upon cooling the resulting bearing insert or bushing willrmaintain its own shape by reason of the cold lubricant 1 and thecompression.

shackle type Aof suspension which, with parallel arms ,I4 and I5,support the `eye I6 of a spring shackle. E1n assembly, two bearinginserts I3 the ends.

are shown in Figs. 7 to 11.

are placed end to end in the spring eye. Members I4 and I5 are locatedat each side thereof and a bolt I7 is passed through the inserts toconnect the supporting members I4 and I5. The bolt has a threaded end onwhich a nut I8 is applied. The nut I3 is screwed up with considerableforce to give further compression to the bearing inserts. The dimensionB, as shown in Fig. 5, is shortened to the dimension C of Fig. 6. Theresulting bearing is one that will withstand all end thrust forces towhich it could be subjected. It is one which will expand with Wear toperform yall the functions of previously designed self-lubricatingbearings. In addition, the retaining shell previously thought necessary,is eliminated, corrugating the central pin is no longer necessary, andthe preformed insert is still what might be called a compressible andexpansible material. vIf desired, additional radial compression can beobtained by tapering each inner member I'I from the center toward Whenthe parts are drawn together in assembly, radial compression of the sidewalls results.

Modified constructions for the bearing insert In some cases it isdesirable to provide a reinforcing coating or other means on the bearinginsert to prevent longitudinal expansion after formation. In Fig. 7 across Y section of the strip I is shown Ywith a coating 215. In Fig. 8 abearing I3 is shown with the coating 25. This coating may be a softmetal such as lead or zinc which will compress in the die but ispreferably a coating formedv of a mixture of hide glue and glycerine.This glue is preferably formed by mixing 81/2 pounds of dry glue with231/2 pounds of water and soaking over night. The resulting mixture isthen brought to 140 or 150 F. and mixed with glycerine in proportions ofglue and 1/4'glycerine. mixture is steam cooked and applied when hot bybrushing or by a roller. The strips are then soaked in oil or a,lubricating compound as previously described and then rolled into thedie of a punch press. In two operations the material is then compressedto'the shape shown in Fig. 8.' The first compression is about one-halfthe nal, andthe second one completes thejob. The

' of metal 26 is shown spirally embedded in the outer surfaceof thebearing insert I3. In Fig. 10 strips of :metal 21 are arrangedlongitudinally on the cylindrical surface and embedded therein.

. The metal is preferably a' soft metal which will compress in the dieand still Vexert force enough when'the bearing is completed to preventany longitudinal expansion.-

"For certain applications, a ring of steel 2'8, shown in Fig. 12, isplaced around the shoulder of the bearing insert to bear against theedge of the spring shackle eye I6, enlarged view shown in Fig; 13. Thisfurnishes additional resistance Y to end thrust and prevents cutting ofthe bearing.

-If the bearing is to be adapted to support a continuously rotatingshaft, a source of oil supplymay be provided as shown in Figs. 12 and14. Oil will feed through the fibrous material to the This nalA Wearsurface even when the material has been treated with the reinforcingglue or other substance. Oil passages 30 are shown leading to annularpassages 3l.

I claim:

1. A bearing lcomprising an inner member, an outer member, meansYcomprising split fabric tubes formed under great pressure and arrangedin axially abutting relation under pressure between said members,supporting means for said inner member, radial nanges at the outer endsof said tubes positioned under compression between said outer member andsaid supporting means of said inner member, and ring means surroundingthe inner edge of said radial flanges at the point of contact with saidouter member to reinforce said flange.

2. A bearing comprising a cylindrical inner bearing member, an outerbearing member having a cylindrical hole larger in diameter than theinner bearing member, the overall length of the outer member being lessthan the yinner member, supporting means eyed to receive the ends of theinner member and having portions to overlie the annular space betweensaid inner and outer members, and a woven fabric tube impregnated withlubricating compound positioned around said inner member within saidouter member and dimensioned prior to `assembly to .overall lengthsubstantially greater than the distance between said supporting membersin nalassembly, whereby upon assembly the fabric tube lies lcompressedaxially and radially between the overlying portions of the supportingmembers.

3. A bearing comprising a cylindrical inner bearing member, an outerbearing member having a, cylindrical hole larger in diameter than theinner bearing member, the overall length of the cuter member being lessthan the inner member, supporting means Yeyed to receive the ends of theinner member and having portions to overlie the annular space betweensaid inner and outer members, and a fabric tube impregnated 'withlubricating compound positioned around said inner member within saidouter member and dimensioned prior to assembly to overall lengthsubstantially greater than the distance between said supporting membersin nal assembly, and integral flanges formed on each end of said tube tolie between the endsof' the outer member vand the supporting members ofthe inner member, whereby upon assembly the fabric tube lies compressedaxially and'radially between the overlying portions of the supportingmembers.

BRUNO SCI-IROETER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

